When we think of wild, pack-hunting dogs, we often imagine the familiar wild dogs of Africa. However, there is another type of wild pack hunting dog, the Chinese dhole of eastern and central Asia. These intriguing dogs are intelligent, energetic, and intensely social hunters that can be found in a wide range of habitats.

Here at the San Diego Zoo’s Behavioral Biology Division’s research station at the Wild Animal Park, we are privileged to work with one of the most unique canid species in the world to gain a better understanding of their reproductive patterns, social structure, and complex vocalizations.

These canids have become endangered in the wild and are even rare in zoos. In fact, the Chinese dholes at the Park are the only dholes found in the United States! Now let’s take a closer look at the dholes and discover exactly “who’s who.”

Our dhole pack consists of four males and three females. Three of the dholes (Alex, Ivana, and Yuri) arrived here from the Moscow Zoo in 2001. Alex and Ivana are siblings from the same litter and still exhibit a tight cooperative family bond. As an older male, Yuri really connected with another female from Moscow named Olga. In fact, they made such a connection that the two went on to have a son, Nikolai, in 2003, and then a three-pup litter in 2004. These three pups were named Misha, Anastasia, and Tatiana.

After the original Moscow dholes acclimated to their new home, they soon overcame their shyness and keepers began to see their individual personalities come forward. For example, Alex has always been an adventurous and playful dog. He is curious about the keepers that come to service his habitat, and usually follows them around to see what they’re up to. He enjoys training and enrichment sessions with the keepers and especially loves to impress us by jumping over a series of pre-staged hurdles as we cheer him on.

His sister, Ivana, is perhaps the most reclusive of the pack and has demonstrated a distinct preference for female keepers over male keepers. Why she prefers females is a mystery, but in the meantime, the male keepers are working hard on building a trusting, positive relationship with her.

Nikolai was the first dhole born at the Zoo’s research station. He is eager to participate in training sessions and has already learned several important husbandry behaviors that we will expand on later. Nik’s younger brother Misha is known for his bold nature and his unequalled desire to play and interact with the keepers. In fact, he is so eager to interact with the keepers that he literally bounces off the walls with excitement as they approach.

Yuri, the father of Anastasia, Tatiana, and Nikolai, is the most mature of the dholes and prefers to spend his time resting in the shade and watching over the pack while they play, eat, or sleep. Misha’s two sisters, Anastasia and Tatiana, are the youngest of the collection. Anastasia, like her brother, has a bold yet friendly disposition. She is in the beginning stages of husbandry training and so far making great progress. Tatiana has become a young sentinel of the group, as we often see her perched up high above the others while scanning the area for anything out of the norm.

As keepers, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to care for and work with these rare canids and hope to help unlock a few of their behavioral mysteries along the way. Now that you’ve become familiar with the individuals of the collection, stay tuned to this blog as I write about their enrichment, training, and our conservation efforts.

Todd Ryan is a keeper in the Behavioral Biology Division San Diego Zoo.

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